Shefki Kuqi - Destiny Or Desperation?

14 February 2011 11:44

There was a great deal of head-shaking going on when Toon fans heard we had signed Shefki Kuqi. After all, he didn't make the grade at Swansea . for God's sake! Alan Pardew took a look in the bargain bin - the players out of contract that nobody wanted - and we got ourselves a bargain from the Pund-shop. Pardew is trying to convince us (and himself) that it was the player's destiny for a last crack at the Premiership and we are lucky to have him. He made his debut at Ewood Park - well, for about 30 seconds - which must have had the player wondering "why bother dirtying my strip?" Who knows - he could be just what we need. Fingers crossed. “If we’re going to win games like this, Shefki Kuqi will play some sort of a part because I think when he comes on, his experience will help. "I have young strikers in Leon (Best) and Nile (Ranger), and sometimes they make bad decisions because of their youthfulness. “Shefki won’t do that, and he’ll be in the right place and the right time late on to win a header in either their box or ours. "I was pleased with him, and I’ve been pleased with the reaction of the players to him and his reaction to them. “He’s fitted in like he’s been here all year, but you’d expect that with him, being the kind of man he is.”